This invention relates generally to injection molding and more particularly to a heated nozzle with self-supported valve member actuating mechanism.
Valve gated injection molding systems with each valve pin or member extending through a heated nozzle are well known. An early example of a mechanically actuated valve member is shown in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,733 which issued Sept. 16, 1980. Pneumatic and hydraulic actuating mechanisms are also known as described in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,969 which issued Feb. 28, 1984 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,013 to Butcher which issued Oct. 6, 1987. More recently, a system for mechanically actuating the whole nozzle is described in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,840 which issued Nov. 29, 1988.
It is also known that it is advantageous in the case of non-linear elongated cavities which are filled through several gates that the nozzles are mountable in different angular positions relative to one another. Examples of this are shown in Schmidt et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,702,689 which issued Oct. 27, 1987, 4,810,184 which will issue Mar. 7, 1989 and 4,793,795 which issued Dec. 27, 1988. However, providing separately mounted valve member actuating mechanisms with the correct orientation for each nozzle is both costly and cumbersome.